The number 50 has a powerful new meaning to international basketball superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Milwaukee Bucks’ marquee player, nicknamed “The Greek Freak” because his family grew up in Greece, scored 50 points to help vanquish the Phoenix Suns in six games and win the NBA Finals on Tuesday, July 20, 2021.
Moreover, the franchise last won an NBA title exactly 50 years when two basketball immortals, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson, led the team to the pinnacle in 1971.
The Greek Freak was in such a state of unadulterated bliss that he took his Larry O’Brien trophy and his Finals MVP award to Chic-fil-A to order 50 nuggets from an unsuspecting worker the next morning.
Giannis ordered a 50 PC nugget after scoring 50 in the Finals 💀 pic.twitter.com/HfASFT1hpN
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 21, 2021
What is even more remarkable is that Antetokounmpos became the first-ever trio of brothers to win an NBA title. Antetokounmpo, 26, and his older brother, Thanasis, 29, are teammates and celebrated the championship together in Milwaukee on Tuesday night. The Greek Freak’s younger brother, Kanos, 23, won his title alongside LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2020 NBA Finals.
Adding to the Greek Freak’s sense of euphoria is the fact that he fulfilled the goals and predictions made by his basketball mentor, the late legendary Kobe Bryant. The Black Mamba sensed that the Greek Freak could win both the NBA regular season MVP as well as a championship.
"Kobe Bryant thinks I can do this… I had to do it. I had to work hard."
Giannis reflects on Kobe challenging him to win MVP and an NBA title
(via @NBATV)pic.twitter.com/ZBhb2UNp4t
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 21, 2021
Bryant kept on Antetokounmpo to elevate his game to accomplish the feats. And the Greek Freak actually surpassed it, winning the MVP Award in 2019 and 2020, as well as earning the Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2020.
My man….M.V.P. Greatness. 🙌🏾💪🏾 Next up: Championship. #MambaMentality https://t.co/dhZTFI1Aam
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) June 25, 2019
With the NBA title win, the Greek Freak did what the Black Mamba believed he could accomplish.
